News and Analysis (8/21/07)

Civil society activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim marks the fourth anniversary of the disappearance of a prominent Egyptian journalist by describing the rising levels of State repression and Mubarak’s use of Islamophobia to ensure Western support for his tyranny:

The CS Monitor’s Ilene Prusher visits the West Bank and finds that Israel, motivated by political pragmatism, has decided to loosen some of its economic strangulation on the West Bank, while the BBC’s Jane Corbin visits and sees despite Hamas’ restoration of law and order, the devastating effects of Israel’s continued chokehold over Gaza:

Seeing the use of torture in interrogations as “immoral, psychologically damaging and counterproductive” the American Psychological Association requires its members to report such abuse and strip people of membership if engaged in such activities:

Former terrorism prosecutor Kelly Anne Moore debunks the notion that a separate legal system for terrorists is needed, arguing that the civilian criminal courts have a “proven track record of dealing with complex prosecutions” and that the rule of law is the best antidote to terrorism: